The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-30
A MEXICAN LEGEND.
How the Sanctuary of Guadalupe Came To B
Built-An Indian Favored by the Virgin.

TARRAL, Mexico, Jan. 24-The iztn DAY OF
December, in Mexico, is observed by all true
Catholics as one of the most sacred days of the
church calendar. The tradition which makes
the day so celebrated is an old one, familiar to
all the people here, and it may be interesting to
tell 1t, as it has been told thousand times, and
handed down from old to young for more than
three hundred years
The town of Guadalupe is situated on the
border OF Lake Texcaco, about three miles from
the City of Mexico, with which it is connected
oy Two flne causeways, and also by railroad, the
iirst every constructed in the republic. Here is
situated the sanctuary of Guadalupe, of which it
may be said there are few in the world as cele-
brated among Catholics, especially those of
Mexico, whore it stands as the symbol Of religion
and independence.
The tradition is simple one and the princi
pal participant of humble origin. Juan Diego
was an Indian, a native of the village of Guam
titan, who had but recently been converted to
the Catholic faith, of good repute and blameless
life. His family consisted of his wife, Marie
Lucia, and an uncle named Bernardino Juan
Diego earned his living by daily labor in the
town of Tolpetac, from which place it was his
custom to often visit the village of Santiago
Thaltilolco to hear the Francscans, then IN
charge Of the parish. preach the Catholic doc
| trine. In one of these trips. while crossing the
ridge of brushy mountains that rise in that Dor
| ton OF the valley on the border of Lake Tepet-
| lycarzol, which means ''nose of the mountain"
| Juan heard strains of music more soft and deli
cious than he mad ever heard among his own
people or among the Spaniards. He stopped to
| observe whence came such harmonious sounds.
| To his astorished vision appeared what seemed
! to be rainbow of bright and varied colors.
| The arch of this bow covered heecy, transpar-
| emit cloud, in the center Of which appeared
! the figure of beautiful and radiant female,
| dressed as the Indians Of royal blood
We're won't to dress in those days. Juan,
| trembling with fear fell upon his kness, and
| making the sign of the cross bowed his face to
the earth. From the cloud came voice saying
to the PROSTATE Huan that he was in the pres
| ence of the mother of Jesus That it was her
| wish that shrine or temple be erected in that
| locality, and that she would give aid and protec-
ton to all who assisted in the work, ii they, in
faith, would call upon her in time of trouble.
He was also told that without delay he should
| report to the bishop ali he had just seen and
| heard. The Indian at went to the residence
| of Fray de Zumarraga of the order of San Fran
cisco. who was then Bishop OF Mexico and after
much difficulty, succeeded in delivering his mes
| sage to the prelate, but satisfactory answer
was given, as the Bishop believed the story to
be but the fancy of Indian who had but re-
|
the Catholic faith At three different
| times subsequent to the one just described, did
the Virgin appear to Juan Diego, at each time
giving him the same message. AS many times
the Bishop had turned the poor Indian away,
kindly, but without announcement, and he was
thoroughly disconsoate. Bernardino the uncle
| of Juan, was now taken seriously Ill, and 1t was
| necessary that Juan should bring confessor to
| prepare him for his end. In order to avoid an
| other meeting with the vision, he took route
quite different from that he ordinarily used.
| This, however was OF no avail, for at a spot
where is now thermal spring, held in esteem
| by the afflicted, and by all true Catholics, the
! Virgin met him and told him that his uncle was
restored to health. The Virgin then directed
Juan to go to the top of the hill known as the
sSNose of the Mountain on the border of Lake
Texcaco, and gather beautiful flowers and take
them to the Bishop in proof of what he had re-
lated concerning the vision. On the hill, where
nothing was ever known to grow but chapparal,
| and where no flowers had ever before been seen,
Juan Diego found many of great beauty and
surprising fragrance. Gathering quantity and
placing them in bis 'serape" tshawll. he wen,
to Mexico to deliver them to the Bishop. as he
had been directed. The Bishop. having been
informed that the Indian coming with the
proofs he had been asked to produce, received
him with much curiosity in the presence Of
many priests and friends The Indian, in
, very modest way, related to the Bishop wha
had taken place and, opening his shawl, tht
flowers fell to the floor AT this moment tn'
Bishop and his followers dropped on their knees
! the shawl, which was the daily raiment of tn,
poor Indian. there appeared a beautifully paint
| ed image Of the Virgin.
AS soon as the Bishop recovered from his
emotion, caused by the sight of this singula
| image of the Virgin, he warmly congratulate,
the now happy Juan, and sent messenger TO
mis- uncle Bernardro, who sure enough, wa
| found to be entirely relieved of all his infirmi
ties, the Virgin had announced to the Indian
The Bishop accompanied by many priests ant
notable persons. together with Juan Diego. Wis
tied all the places where the Virgin had az
| peared to the latter, and at each place they OF
! fered prayer, and blessed the spot, and made
consecrated ground. Returning TO the episcC
pal palace, which, in those days, was situate
on the site Of the present street of Donceles
they there temporarily deposited the image 0
the Virgin, which a few days afterwards wa
transferred to the Cathedral. The building Of
hermitage was then begun on the hill of Tepey
acac at the expense of the Bishop, and in 1o3
the shawl bearing the image was removed to tn
hermitage, borne in the midst of an immens
procession. and was there deposited under a
the forms and ceremonies OF the church IN
date of the last appearance of the Virgin to tn
Indian, Juan Diego. was Dec II, 1881, abor
nineteen years after the conquest-Clement Xl
being Pope, and Charles V King of Spain. Jua
Diego built little home adjoining the hermi
age and for seventeen years after the mirac
devoted his life to the worship OF the Virgin
He died in 154S, at the age of seventy four.
/ ESr ninety years the image remained in tt
hermitage, which was rather small and of pot
architecture. By this time the devotion of Il
good Catholics of Mexico to the virgin of Quad
lupe had SO increased that many contribute,
mad been made, and the grand cathedral whie
now adorns the town Of Guadalupe begu
The cost of this building was more than $500
900, in which is not included the cost of tabe
nacle Of silver, presented by the viceroy Cou1
OF Salvatierra, and sixty lamps OF beaten sily
which were hung in the vaults of the tempt
Worshipers and visitors were liberal with the
donations, and from the funds thus realize
in NINA
rations were purchased, some of them surpas
ing ia beauty and value those owned by IL
cathedral in Mexico. The ornaments Of Il
altar aud articles used in the services in tn
great church were Of solid silver, and the val,
of these and the paintings on the wall was mo
than 10 ilfln m areas NEARLY &lil0 nflli